Along the road Mexico 1 in Tijuana, an old event hall called Flamingos Eventos has been turned into a temporary shelter. The multi-story building climbs a hill next to the road. Until just last week, it hosted things like quinceañeras and wedding receptions.
Now, it is one of a new network of facilities created on the southern side of the U.S-Mexico border, from Brownsville to Tijuana. It's part of a national program to welcome deportees back to Mexico, called "Mexico te abraza" or “Mexico Embraces You.”
Mexican president Claudia Scheinbaum Pardo announced the program one day after the inauguration of U.S. president Donald Trump. It’s how Mexico is preparing for the repatriation of its citizens if Trump is able to follow through with his promise of mass deportations.
Over the weekend, Mexican federal, state and municipal authorities allowed media access to the Tijuana shelter.
Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda said this facility is exclusively for deportees repatriated because of Trump's promised mass deportations. She said the shelter will not just feed and house the deportees, but also provide medical and psychological care to help them manage the stress of their deportation.
“There are medical offices and they will also have psychological and emotional care for any level of stress or anxiety with which they may come to this care center and reminding them of this is very important,” said Governor Pilar in Spanish.
Media was allowed access to one section of the shelter showing the dining hall, kitchen, bunk beds, medical offices and government offices.
“We know that there is a lot of expectation of when and how many people are coming,” said Mónica Juliana Vega Aguirre, Baja California’s Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development.
Vega said this shelter is ready.
“We're ready to receive 2,600 people, men, women, families, young people — so they can come back to their country, safely. We want to give them a warm welcome,” Vega said.
